Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Equatorial Guinea Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Equatorial Guinea

Name: Equatorial Guinea
Address: GQ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,020 in South Africa versus $1,142 in Equatorial Guinea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in South Africa versus $1,823 in Equatorial Guinea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,175 in South Africa versus $2,504 in Equatorial Guinea.

Living in South Africa costs about 11% less than in Equatorial Guinea on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 24% lower, Equatorial Guinea 15% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Equatorial Guinea: monthly costs span $605 to $1,680, compared to $819–$1,339 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Equatorial Guinea.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 R 147

$17.08 FCFA 9,632

-47.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.48 R 642

$70.1 FCFA 39.6K

-43.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 80.3

$9.01 FCFA 5,083

-45.17%

Cappuccino

$2.06 R 33.47

$4.07 FCFA 2,296

-49.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.40

$0.98 FCFA 555

-3.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.13

$0.91 FCFA 512

-10.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 35.90

$3.59 FCFA 2,024

-38.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.33

$4.49 FCFA 2,532

-44.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.07

$2.78 FCFA 1,567

-60.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.64

$3.28 FCFA 1,850

-68.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.28

$2.51 FCFA 1,413

-37.85%

Eggs

$2.34 R 38.05

$2.80 FCFA 1,576

-16.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 126

$8.49 FCFA 4,789

-8.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 R 73.1

$6.69 FCFA 3,771

-32.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.73 R 109

$8.58 FCFA 4,839

-21.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.40

$7.54 FCFA 4,255

-79.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.22

$1.81 FCFA 1,022

-20.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.48

$6.91 FCFA 3,898

-79.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.55

$4.01 FCFA 2,262

-62.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.81

$3.01 FCFA 1,699

-59.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 20.74

$3.15 FCFA 1,777

-59.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 16.89

$0.90 FCFA 509

15.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.21

$2.01 FCFA 1,134

-53.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 48.55

$4.86 FCFA 2,740

-38.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 R 83.8

$6.27 FCFA 3,534

-17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.55

$2.45 FCFA 1,383

-43.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 26.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.48

$1.36 FCFA 767

19.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.05 R 732

$26.75 FCFA 15.1K

68.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.41

$0.90 FCFA 510

25.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 17.93

$0.77 FCFA 433

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 R 78.9

$8.98 FCFA 5,066

-45.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.15

$1.11 FCFA 624

11.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.3K R 330.2K

$33.4K FCFA 18.8M

-39.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.5K R 381.4K

$29.0K FCFA 16.4M

-19.11%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$113 R 1,843

$348 FCFA 196.5K

-67.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.36 R 526

$17.88 FCFA 10.1K

80.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.45 R 674

$142 FCFA 80.3K

-70.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 R 513

$93.9 FCFA 52.9K

-66.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.61 R 156

$14.85 FCFA 8,373

-35.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 R 111

$5.39 FCFA 3,037

26.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$187 R 3,039

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,362 R 70.9K

$357 FCFA 201.2K

1122.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.50 R 804

$59.9 FCFA 33.8K

-17.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.42 R 494

$95.2 FCFA 53.7K

-68.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 R 1,489

$163 FCFA 91.7K

-43.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 R 1,281

$136 FCFA 76.5K

-41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,175

$360 FCFA 203.0K

22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 5,963

$187 FCFA 105.6K

95.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 R 14.4K

$694 FCFA 391.3K

27.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 11.8K

$444 FCFA 250.3K

62.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,090 R 17.7K

$859 FCFA 484.6K

26.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 R 12.7K

$647 FCFA 365.1K

20.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,558 R 25.3K

$801 FCFA 451.9K

94.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

6.8

69.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Equatorial Guinea: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $368 in South Africa, $331 in Equatorial Guinea. Capital cities: $765 in Cape Town vs $266 in Malabo.

National salary averages: $1,520 in South Africa, $810 in Equatorial Guinea. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 11% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 80% more in Equatorial Guinea.

Public transport is 23% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 88% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

South Africa vs Equatorial Guinea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,143 per month in Equatorial Guinea and $1,079 in South Africa, there's a 6% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

South Africa is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Equatorial Guinea beats South Africa across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In South Africa, $1,500 covers most cities easily. In Equatorial Guinea, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. South Africa wins on affordability; Equatorial Guinea may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.